Care of Flowering Quince

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Care of Flowering Quince

Overview

The flowering quince (Chaenomeles speciosa) is a rapidly growing deciduous shrub that grows up to 10 feet tall and wide. The flowering quince blooms from early to mid-spring in showy white, orange, pink or red flowers, depending on the cultivated variety. This shrub has reddish-bronze springtime foliage that turns dark green in summer. The flowering quince produces apple-like, edible fruits in autumn that are often used in making jellies, jams and marmalades. Drought-tolerant and hardy down to minus 25 degrees Fahrenheit, the flowering quince can be used in landscapes as an individual specimen planting or as part of a hedge, border or mass planting.

Step 1

Water your flowering quince deeply to soak the soil around the root area once each week only during times of drought or prolonged dry spells. The flowering quince doesn't require any regular watering.

Step 2

Prune your flowering quince once every year in early spring to maintain its shape and size. Cut back to the ground about 1/3 of the oldest branches and weakest growth.

Step 3

Adjust the soil pH to keep it neutral to acidic, if the soil becomes alkaline, which can cause iron chlorosis in the flowering quince. Apply a soil acidifier according to the instructions on the package once every one to three years or as needed when symptoms of iron chlorosis arise, which include a lightening or bleaching of the leaves.

Step 4

Harvest the flowering quince fruits when they ripen in October. The mature fruits should be about the size of a small apple and have a reddish color.

Step 5

Protect your flowering quince from late spring frosts, especially if the flowers or flower buds have already emerged. Cover the flowering quince with a light blanket when freezing temperatures or frosts threaten in spring.

Tips and Warnings

Choose the planting location for your flowering quince carefully, because the shrub has very sharp thorns on their stems. Take care not to plant the flowering quince where children can be hurt by the thorns or beside walkways.

Things You'll Need

Garden hose

Pruning tools

Soil acidifier

Light blanket

References

Virginia Cooperative Extension: Flowering Quince

University of Illinois Extension: Common Flowering Quince

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About this Author

Sarah Terry brings 10 years of experience writing novels, business-to-business newsletters, and a plethora of how-to articles. Terry has written articles and publications for a wide range of markets and subject matters, including Medicine & Health, Eli Financial, Dartnell Publications and Eli Journals.